Antiskid chain



Jan. 15, 1924. y 1,481,020

J. H. MCCORMICK, JR

ANTISKID CHAIN Filed Dec. 29. 1922 Eu/emi: Af/r /7 wwf/wmf i spaced from the webs of the links.

Patented Jan. 15, 1924.;

JOHN H. mcooImIcK, an., or s'r. LoUIs, IvIIssouItI. l

' ANTISKID CHAIN.

Application iled'December 29, 1922*. Serial No. 609,638. l

To aZZ lwhom t may concern:

VBe it known that I, JOHN H. MoCoRMIK', Jr., a citizen of the United States, residlng at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Antiskid Chains, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, such .as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application.

My invention relates to anti-skid chains such as are used on automobile tires, the particular object of my invention being to provide an improved chain which will more securely engage the road surface, will maintain its flexibility, and will ossess a longer life than the chains hereto ore used.

I' secure these objects by forming the central portions of the chains v of channel shaped links, the flanges of which links practically abut each other lengthwise and the longitudinal edges of which form a substantially continuous tread surfrcke,

e links are united by connections of fiat strips spaced through transverse slots in the-.webs

of the links and bent back adjacent to the' inner face of the link web and are accordingly spaced from the road surface and not subject to wear and distortion which woul-d tend to destroy the hinge-like assembly of the links.

In the accompanyin drawings which illustrate a selected em odiment of my invention- Figure 1 is a transverse section through a tire upon which .one of my cross chains is placed and showing the tire fully iniiated.

Figure 2 is a side elevation ofone of my cross chains arranged in a straight line.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the cross chain shown inFigure 2.

lFigure 4 is a transverse section through one of the principal links of the chain illustrated in the other figures. l

For the average size tire, practically all of the non-skid functioning will be performed by the middle link 1 and the adjacent side link 2 on each side of the middle link. These links are channel-shape in cross section and the flanges 3 of the links area substantial depth so as to space the webs i from the roadway and thereby protect the connecting clips 5. 'The ends 6 of each link iange are cut diagonally so that the outer edge 7 of each v{iange is Vsomewhat longer than the web of the link. This shapingof the ends ofthe flanges serves to increase the tread portion of each .link and reduce the space betweenthe flanges of adjacent links. VWith the tire fully inflated and not suiicient weight thereon to depressv the tread surface, asshown in Figure 1, the ends of the link anges will separate slightly and be substantially parallel. As the tire is depressed at its tread, the chainy is straightened and the ends of the link flanges approach each other until, inthe extreme position shown in igure 2, the ends of the flanges contact and form a continuous treadV surface 8.

It will be noted that the upper faces of Y connecting clips 5 are concaved lengthwise to laccommodate the tire A and also accommodate the lengthwise curving of the chain.

Each end of the cross chain illustrated is" Y connected to a peripheral chain 9 by means of links 10 and 1l which form no part of my present invention and may be of any suitable type, these links usually having no anti-skid functions although Vif the tirek should be of a shape or sizerendering radvantageous the presence of more than threeV functioning links, the preferred form of link may be increasedin number, as desired.

The construction of my chain is such that Y Vwear which will destroy the ordinary chain Vion waste of material andlverysimple assem- 'Y bling operations. It will be noted that the main links are identical and'that no selection is required in assembling them.

I contemplate such modifications of the exact contour and formation of my links as fall within the scope of the following claims i defining my invention.

IV claim:

llt)

1. In an anti-skid chain, a plurality of;v

channel-shaped links, cach linkY vhaving flanges of substantial depth extending from end to end of the link, the web of each link being provided with transverse slots spaced respectively from ,its ends, and connecting clips of fiat material passed through adjacent slots of adjacent links and having return bends lying close to the webs of said links.

2. In an anti-skid chain, a plurality of channel-shaped links, each link f having flanges of substantial depth extending'froni end to end off the link, the web of each link being provided withV transverse slots spaced respectively from its ends, and connecting clips of flat material passed through adjacent slots of adjacent links and having return bends lying close to the webs of said links, each link being straight from end to end and each clip being concaved to fit the Y transverse contour of ar pneumatic tire.

3. In an anti-skid chain, a plurality of channel-shaped links, clips Vpivotally conthan the webs of the links whereby when the chain is placed across a tire the tread surface provided by said edges will'be longer transversely of the tire than the length of the backs of said links and Vclips. In testimony whereof I hereunto ax mv signature this Mth'day of December, 1922.

JOHN H. MCCORMICKJR.

'necting the webs of adjacent links, the backs j Y 

